The NFL is replacing the Pro Bowl with weeklong skills competitions and a flag football game.
The new event will be renamed “The Pro Bowl Games” and will feature AFC and NFC players showcasing their football and non-football skills in challenges over several days.
“The Pro Bowl is something that we’ve been looking at for a while, really continuing to evolve,” NFL executive Peter O’Reilly told The Associated Press. “Coming out of last year’s game, we really made the decision based on a lot of internal conversations, getting feedback from GMs and coaches, getting a lot of feedback from players. We think there’s a real opportunity to do something wholly different here and move away from the traditional tackle football game. We decided the goal is to celebrate 88 of the biggest stars in the NFL in a really positive, fun, yet competitive way.
The 2023 Games will be held in Las Vegas, and the flag football game at Allegiant Stadium is Sunday, Feb. 5.
Peyton Manning and his Omaha Productions company will help shape programming and promote the event’s content throughout the week.
Manning, a 14-time Pro Bowl pick during his Hall of Fame career, will provide his perspective and will also be a part of the coaching staff for the flag game.
The Pro Bowl first debuted in Los Angeles in 1951, where it was played for 21 seasons.
Before moving the game to Hawaii in 1980, it was played in numerous cities throughout the U.S. between 1972 to 1980.
Fans have always not been a fan of the Pro Bowl since players, understandably so, don't want to get hurt and treat it more as an exhibition game.
Fans will still vote to help determine the AFC and NFC team rosters.
The league will release more plans about the format on Monday.
